British Epigraphy Society newsletter www.csad.ox.ac.uk/bes/

ns no 9 spring 2003

In this issue: Spring Colloquium 2003 : Autumn Colloquium in London : Entella Tablets in Oxford : Epigraphic Saturday in Cambridge : Slavery : Power : Gold : Celebrating Davies and Mattingly : Virtual Vindolanda : Theatrical Epigraphy : Sit Vac : Trailers …

Spring Colloquium 2003: St Hilda’s College, Oxford, 27-28 March 2003 OLD AND NEW WORLDS IN GREEK ONOMASTICS 2nd Colloquium of the Lexicon of Greek Personal Names, sponsored by the British Academy

Programme Thursday 27th March Friday 28th March 10.30-1.00 10.00-1.00 Peter Fraser (Oxford): Mercenaries in Louisa Loukopoulou (National Hellenic Middle Egypt: the garrison at Research Centre, Athens): Old and New Hermoupolis Magna in Thracian onomastics Denis Knoepfler (Neuchâtel): Existe-t-il Thomas Corsten (Heidelberg): une onomastique d’origine eubéenne Onomastic evidence for the settlement of dans les colonies chalcido-érétriennes Thracians and Galatians in Asia Minor de Thrace et d’Occident? Stephen Mitchell (Exeter): Iranian culture 2.15-5.00 in Graeco-Roman Asia Minor: the Jean-Claude Decourt (Lyon): Importance onomastic evidence des noms mythologiques et héroïques Rüdiger Schmitt: Greek Reinterpretation dans l’onomastique d’Atrax (Thessalie): of Iranian Names by Folk Etymology raretés, préciosité, snobisme? 2.15-4.30 Laurence Darmezin (Lyon): The twelve Maurice Sartre (Tours): Le nom ambigu: tribes of Atrax les limites de l’identité culturelle dans J. L. García Ramón (Cologne): l’onomastique de la Syrie gréco-romaine Thessalian personal names and the Margaret Williams (Open University): Greek lexicon Jewish use of semitic names in Asia Minor: the epigraphic evidence [Conference Dinner] Further information, including abstracts of papers, can be found on the conference website: http://www.britac.ac.uk/events/programmes/2003/030327lgpn.html AUTUMN COLLOQUIUM, LONDON Latin Ostracon from North Africa. This ostracon, now in the Carthage Modern values in a traditional setting museum, seems to be a letter, probably was the theme of this year’s autumn from a woman (the name ends with the colloquium, held on Saturday 9 letters --RONIA ), asking her ‘brother’ November in London. As is now Valerius for help in some sort of crisis, customary, the meeting was held in the involving money, wine, a girl, and Institute of Classical Studies, and possibly (though probably not ...) a consisted of the usual blend of short chicken. The Latin shows various ‘late’ reports and longer papers, sandwiched features (frequent omission of final ‘m’, around the smoke-filled room which is and loss of interconsonantal ‘d’), and is, the society’s AGM, and liberally at times, far from comprehensible. The supplied, as usual, with refreshments of dating of the text is also somewhat every sort. problematic. Although the ostracon has no precise provenance, analysis of the But while this much was reassuringly clay suggests that it originated in the familiar, much else was new. Gaby Carthage area; and the pottery is of a Bodard (KCL) started the morning sort which is usually dated to the mid session with a report on Progress on fourth century and later. But the writing the EPAPP Project, demonstrating both on the sherd is rather earlier: although the general advantages of web there are some New Roman Cursive publication of inscribed material forms, the overall style is Old Roman (accessibility; ease of cross-reference, Cursive – which would suggest a date within and beyond the work; more space towards the end of the third century. for extra illustrations, and so on: Either the ostracon is a fake; or the examples can be found on the website woman had particularly archaic of the project: handwriting; or the datings of this style http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/epa of pottery need some revision. pp/), and the specific virtues of using the xml-based markup system to encode Benet Salway’s second new text was epigraphic texts. The great virtue of this less exotic, but no less problematic: approach is its stability, its flexibility, and Moritix Londiniensium: the recent its absolute platform and system find from Southwark had already independence. A suitably marked-up received a preliminary airing in the BES epigraphic text may look entirely News (ns no.8). Further points raised unreadable to the un-computerised eye, here included the prominent position of but the data can then be presented in this inscription (it was probably located any number of ways: using the by the of Watling St, just before the traditional Leiden system, or different important river crossing point at font styles, or colours; as a webpage, a Southwark: a major route into the city printed document, or even an audio file. from the south), and the excellent The material can also be searched in quality of the inscription (not just the new ways: for example, it would be a letter-cutting, but also the ‘banana-skin’ simple matter to locate all the instances style interpuncts). Discussion centred of a certain type of abbreviation, or even on the problem of interpreting the last of the erasure of particular words or four lines of the document: should images. moritix be taken with londiniensium? Or is there a break between the two Benet Salway (UCL) offered something words? What should be done with even more modern: two new epigraphic [pr]imus ? As always, the iron law of texts. The first was A ?3rd-century AD epigraphy dictates that the text breaks

2 up at precisely the point when it and Plotina’s letter to the Epicureans, becomes most interesting (or vice versa passing on the good news. The second ...). dossier is less well-preserved (it consists of two non-joining fragments), and its text is, not surprisingly, more The afternoon session was kicked off by problematic. Traditionally, this dossier John Davies (Liverpool), who offered, he has been thought to contain two letters said ‘not a paper, but a discussion about from Hadrian, one to the Epicureans, the problems of writing a paper’: a meta- the second to a certain Heliodorus. It paper. More specifically, his Revisiting was suggested that this reconstruction Gortyn: Laws, Documents, and should be rejected: the two fragments of Debates explored the problems which the inscription is made up should involved in presenting – for a non- be recombined, in such a way as to specialist audience – a coherent allow for a bigger stone, and a longer account of the Gortyn law code. These line-length. This would, in turn, allow a problems are many and various. What very different text to be reconstructed: is to be done with the huge and involved the most important difference would be body of specialised scholarship on this that the second letter might be, not from subject? How are the laws themselves Hadrian, but from Plotina. In favour of to be explained? Their content requires this reconstruction is the strikingly discussion, but so too does their ‘Epicurean’ language of this second telegraphic, hyper-’laconic’ style, and letter – a feature which is also prominent the way in which the discrete laws in Plotina’s letter in the first dossier, and combine (or fail to combine) to form a which would seem much more coherent ‘code’. And, perhaps hardest appropriate for this philosophy-loving of all, what sort of social, or intellectual, empress than for the emperor. context can be supplied for these laws? Roman law – a traditional favourite – is Polly Low clearly not appropriate, and Athenian law may be no better; the ideal context would be the Gortynian one – but that is the one thing we don’t have. The laws prompt many questions: how do laws get made in Gortyn? why are they then inscribed (and why are they set up in particular places)? what is to be made of the various gaps in this code (nothing on homicide, for example)? But firm answers are hard to come by.

Finally, Riet van Bremen (London) presented Two(?) Letters of the Empress Plotina to the Epicureans of Athens, or rather, two dossiers of letters, from the 120s AD, both apparently concerned with the regulations for the running of the Epicurean school. The first, relatively uncontroversial dossier, shows Plotina petitioning Hadrian on behalf of the Epicureans, Hadrian’s favourable reply,

3 ENTELLA TABLETS WORKSHOP, secondly, given that this helmet appears OXFORD to match exactly the type described in Polybius VI.23, that elements of the The inspiration for this day was the account in Polybius VI, as has been existence at the Centre of a set of suggested in the past, date firmly back papers belonging to the late David to the C3 BC. In questions afterwards, Lewis. These provide a certain amount the unusual colour of tablet VIII (Ampolo of extra information on the unusual A2), mimicked by the fake tablet VII*, recent history of these fascinating was attributed to a particularly harsh act bronze tablets from western Sicily. More of cleaning by the original recoverer(s) importantly, they were also the source of of the tablet. a crucial set of photographs made prior to cleaning of several of the still-missing The workshop began with a tablets. The Centre made this material presentation on ‘the Oxford story’ by available to Prof. Carmine Ampolo Jonathan Prag (UCL/Leicester), in which (Scuola Normale, Pisa), who has taken he outlined briefly the story of the on the mantle of the late Prof. G. Nenci tablets’ peregrinations after their as co-ordinator of work on the tablets departure from Sicily in the mid-1970s, and the site of Entella. The workshop and David Lewis’ involvement with was organised by Dr. Charles Crowther tablets I-V, in the light of information with a view to integrating this new from the papers of David Lewis. This material and bringing both the tablets material does not significantly alter the and Prof. Ampolo’s work to a wider story as it is already known, but does fill audience. in some interesting gaps. As most had already guessed, David Lewis was the The day itself was preceded by a well- ‘anglicus interpres’ in published attended lecture at the Centre, on Friday accounts of the tablets. 24 January 2003, by Prof. Ampolo, in which he outlined some of the material After coffee, Dottoressa M.C. Parra that he would cover in more detail the (Pisa) provided a lucid summary of the following day, and re-stated in very archaeological information so far convincing terms the case for the obtained from the site of Rocca Tiberius Claudius C.f. Antiatas of tablet d’Entella, ancient Entella. The site IV (=Ampolo B1) to be a client and/or occupies a large and naturally very relative of P. Claudius Pulcher, cos. 249 strong hill-top site. Evidence of human (the man who threw the sacred chickens presence goes back to pre-historic into the sea prior to the disastrous battle times, with clear occupation from the of Drepanon). Additionally, Prof. Ampolo early C6 BC. In the main area of considered the helmet depicted upon excavation (in the eastern valley of the tablet IV (a proxeny decree), which has hill-top), a complex of apparently public all too often been ignored in past buildings has been uncovered, which discussions. In line with the majority of show two phases, C6/5 and C4/3 BC. such decrees, the helmet should be The former has the character of an understood to relate to the honorand oikos, the latter of a food storage rather than the Entellans. It would seem building. Both this part of the site and to be an Italic type typical of the earlier two other locations show evidence of a C3 BC and, as Prof. Ampolo observed, destruction layer with burning to be this has certain implications: firstly that dated around the middle of the C3 BC. Roman soldiers were not only utilising The site also has three necropoleis at an Italic type in this period, but were different locations around the foot of the potentially identified with it; and hill.

4 This was followed by a detailed recording the Nakone adelphothetia, exposition of the coin finds from the was deposited together with the tablets Rocca d’Entella excavations by Dr. explicitly relating to Entella. Additionally, Susanne Frey-Kupper (Geneva). This the dimensions of the still-missing tablet included a complex analysis of the IV (Ampolo B1) can be deduced from patterns of coin finds by type on the site the marks in the corrosion on another in comparison with other sites in the tablet: the tablet is revealed to be the region. The key element to emerge was smallest of all eight, no more than 10 x the total absence of coin types 15 cm. Of course, the fact that all eight belonging to the period between the last tablets were discovered together does quarter of the C4 BC and the mid-/later- not resolve the thorny questions of how, C3 BC. At first sight, this sat uneasily why, when, or by whom, they were with the dating of the destruction layer in collected together and ‘deposited’. the archaeological record, and also the generally accepted context for the After lunch, Dr. Alan Johnston succinctly tablets (viz. second half of the first Punic discussed the numerals which appear in war, after upheavals in the first half of tablet V (Ampolo A1). The small number the same war). However, as Prof. of both published and unpublished Michael Crawford (UCL) pointed out comparanda which can be brought to (after Richard Reece) in an impromptu bear demonstrate that the numerals are exposition later in the day, the temporal not in themselves unusual for the pattern of numismatic site-finds (i.e. so- historical and geographical context. called ‘casual’ loss), somewhat Allowing for the occasional vagaries of counterintuitively, is unlikely to reflect the cutter, 3 symbols, for 10, 50 and 100 actual habitation, but rather the impact are deployed in what Nenci called the of particular events. Hence a gap in the pseudo-ascending system, i.e. smallest coinage between say 310 and 250 BC numbers first, left to right – so-called, need not reflect anything other than because the influence of Phoenician (in peaceful existence. The interpretation of which numerals would be read from the gap is a matter for debate; but Dr. right to left, and so actually still largest Frey-Kupper’s analysis placed it in first) has been adduced. Such a system sharp relief, and raised further questions is relatively common in Sicily in this regarding the tablets’ historical context. period. Dr. Johnston also cast a brief eye over the letter forms, which are In the final presentation before lunch, largely what one would expect for this Professor Ampolo deployed the period. As yet, no-one has made a study photographs from the David Lewis of the various hands responsible for the papers and a certain amount of tablets. technology, to demonstrate quite categorically that the tablets constitute a Numbers were followed by letters, and dossier in the full sense of the word. detailed exposition and discussion of the What the pre-cleaning photographs texts of all eight tablets: first by reveal is that, as in the case of the Locri Jonathan Prag, who had provided tablets, wherever one tablet rested upon participants with a set of texts based another, it left a ‘shadow’ in the patterns upon the photographs, and who of corrosion. It is thus quite clear that highlighted a range of points of interest the tablets were in fact found in a single (cutters’ errors; aspects of layout; deposit by whoever ‘excavated’ them in varieties of form) and offered the various the mid-1970s. Most significantly, Prof. loci incerti for discussion. Professor Ampolo was able to demonstrate that Ampolo followed this up with the tablet III (Ampolo Nakone A), the tablet convincing resolution of several of the

5 thornier black spots on the tablets – the fruits of a forthcoming Italian edition of EPIGRAPHIC SATURDAY, the texts (first in ASNP and CAMBRIDGE subsequently in monograph form), (22nd February 2003) which, in the light of all the new material which he presented on the day, should Michael Crawford (UCL, London) began be eagerly awaited by all. with an exposition of the work he has done with Christina Kuhn (Heidelberg) Discussion of the texts was concluded on a small number of ivory or bone by discussion of the ever-problematic tesserae that have generally been Nakone text (Entella III = Ampolo categorised with the so-called tesserae Nakone A). This was kick-started by lusoriae (gaming counters) that have Charles Crowther (Oxford), who neatly numbers on one side and letters on the took participants through the text, asking other. However, what distinguishes this all the difficult questions as he went. sub-category of tessera is that, while The procedures in the text are largely indeed inscribed with a number on one unparalleled and in turn raise possibly side, the other bears the name, in unanswerable questions regarding the abbreviated form, of one of the thirty-five relationship of the Nakone text to the tribes into which the Roman citizen body other seven. Did, as Prof. Ampolo was divided by the period of the late suggested, the Nakone diaphora Republic (e.g. ROM | V and OVF | XVI). resolution, proposed by the Segestans, In all, seven such tesserae are known to serve subsequently as a model for the survive – though there may well be resolution at Entella of stasis more lurking out there unidentified in accompanying the synoikismos? Did the museum collections – each representing community of Nakone subsequently join a different tribe and number and all with the synoikismos described in the Entella a demonstrable or probable provenance tablets, bringing the decree with them? from the city of Rome. The numbers on Or was the tablet merely gathered the reverses appear to correspond to together with the others from separate the official order of the tribes as it locations at some later date, for existed in the late Republic. Relating whatever reason? this evidence with the scattered and incomplete literary evidence for the The presence of 20+ participants from order of the tribes, including a previously as far afield as Belfast and Liverpool unexploited guide to tironian notes in a (besides the involvement of Ampolo, manuscript from the Bodleian Library in Frey-Kupper, and Parra), ensured that Oxford, it has been possible to draw up the day was highly productive and a revised listing of the tribes that largely clearly enjoyed by all. The hospitality confirms that produced by Lily Ross and organisation of the Centre for the Taylor in her Voting Districts of the Study of Ancient Documents (together Roman Republic (Rome 1960). It is with a subsidy from the Oxford clear that the order is neither University Classics Faculty) contributed straightforwardly chronological nor to this in no small part. It is to be hoped geographical. Rather, after the four that the workshop marks merely the urban tribes, the rural tribes form groups beginning of a wider knowledge and lying along the main roads radiating out appreciation of a quite remarkable set of of Rome, running anticlockwise from the documents from Hellenistic Sicily. via Ostiensis to the via Clodia-Cassia. While the tesserae themselves may Jonathan Prag have been tags attached to the pots into which votes were cast (cf. the depiction

6 on a late Republican sestertius Reynolds & J.B. Ward-Perkins, [Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania No 473]), the order may reflect an [Rome 1952]), though even before the originally military purpose, following the city became a Roman colonia Latin is order in which requests for the levying of already being used as the language of troops according to tribal groupings the primary text (the Punic often merely were despatched from the centre. summarises the most important information for the benefit of the local Ginette di Vita Evrard (ENS, Paris) population). However, even in the Latin guided the audience through the inscriptions, the Punic naming-system complexities of onomastics in the mixed has to be understood to decode the Latin and Punic context of ancient information provided. One needs to Lepcis in Tripolitania (Libya), where she know that, as was usual in the is attached to the excavations by the Mediterranean world, the Libyans and Università di Roma III. The number of Carthaginians had a system of single named individuals known from Lepcis personal names and significantly also has been recently expanded by the that in Punic these had a single, discovery of three funerary hypogea indeclinable, form. When greater during the excavation of a suburban villa definition was required it was usual in along the coast. Added to this, Punic to qualify the name by appending Professor Evrard has been able to get the name of the father (sometimes with access to the chance finds brought in to the conjunction byn/ben) and/or the title the museum depot from building activity of a function (usually preceded by the resulting from the expansion of the definite article h). Ancestry beyond the modern village. Together this new first generation back was indicated by corpus comprises more than a hundred appending the name of the grandfather, funerary urns, inscribed either in Neo- etc.; so, for instance, Mago ben Aris ben punic script (that of North Africa of the Anno is Mago, son of Aris, grandson of period after the fall of Carthage) or in Anno. All this is straightforward enough the Latin alphabet. However, there is until one runs into the mixed onomastics not a simple correlation between of the more Romanised locals, who language (or name etymology) and regularly adopted a Graeco-Latin name script. There are many Latin or Greek alongside their Libyo-Punic single name names in Neo-punic script and many and then listed their filiation. Thus the Libyo-Punic names in Latin letters. magistrate Annobal Rufus Himilchonis This reflects the complex linguistic mix Tapapi f(ilius) of IRT 321 (cf. IRT 322: of Roman Lepcis. Originally founded as Annobal Himilchonis Tapapi f(ilius) a colony of Carthage, the majority of the Rufus) should be decoded as Annobal population was nevertheless Libyan, siue Rufus Himilchonis filius Tapapi though there was also some Greek nepos in full Latin style, equivalent to influence from Cyrenaica to the east. Punic Annobal ben Himilcho ben Punic was the written language of the Tapapi. On occasion the grammar of city and continued to be so under the the underlying Punic exerts sufficient Numidian hegemony following the fall of influence that the patronyms appear in Carthage and on into the early Roman Latin in indeclinable, but Latinised, period, during which Lepcis was a free nominative forms. So the same man is city (ciuitas libera). In this latter period described in IRT 319c as Annobal there was an epigraphic explosion in Himilcho f(ilius) Tapapius Rufus. both Punic and Latin. On public Conversely amongst the funerary monuments there are many bilingual epitaphs one finds grammatically and inscriptions (for which see J.M. phonetically pure Punic texts in Latin

7 letters, even when the name elements of c. 20 letters from the end, with a are Graeco-Roman: e.g. Getulith (= Lat. substantial lacuna in between. Both Gaetula), Pudens byn Tyrane (= Lat. texts are in Greek and the first is Pudens Tyranni f.), and Micho asth certainly a letter of the emperor Hadrian, Marce Bibie (= Lat. Micho Marci Vibii dated clearly to February/March AD uxor), as well as more complex mixed 124, perhaps reconfirming the privilege forms, such as Iulia Folliu (= Lat. Iulia granted in 121. The second is more Polla). The two languages and systems problematic. It appears to be a letter in can be found side by side in reference which the recipient’s name survives as to the same individual on the same Heliodorus but the sender's is lost in a monument. Thus, on the outside of a lacuna of uncertain length at the tomb (of probably first-century AD date) beginning of the line. James Oliver, one local with Roman citizenship is who in 1938 was the first to recognise called in the dedication by his son ‘Q. that the two blocks belonged together, Licinius Piso’ but inside, on the urn, he thought that it might be the actual Greek is called ‘Licini Piso’ (= Pun. Licine testament of the diadochos of the Piso), demonstrating the redundancy of school. The first complete the praenomen to provincials of reconstruction of the dossier was peregrine origin already at this early attempted some years ago by Simone period. Follet (Revue des Etudes Grecques 107 [1999], 158-171). Follet had identified After lunch Riet van Bremen (UCL, the second document as a further letter London) offered new insights into two of Hadrian. However, Dr van Bremen, epigraphic dossiers of imperial letters offering a new reconstruction of the text, relating to the ordinances of the pointed to the large number of Epicurean School at Athens. The first 'Epicureanisms' in its language; for the dossier, of AD 121, inscribed on a Epicureans were very fond of coining broken marble block and comprising at new abstract nouns. Accordingly she least four texts, is relatively well known proposes that it is another letter of and understood (J.H. Oliver, Greek Plotina, since, as demonstrated in the Constitutions of the Roman Emperors first dossier, the special affection for, [ 1989], No 73). It carries and connection with, the sect seems to the tail of a Greek text, the Latin text of be hers rather than Hadrian's. It seems, a letter of Plotina to her step- then, that to some extent the content of son Hadrian, his response (again in this second dossier mirrors the Latin) addressed to one Popillius combination of correspondence found in Theotimus, diadochos of the the first: a letter of advice or Epicureans, and an accompanying letter encouragement from Plotina with a letter from Plotina in Greek addressed to ‘all of Hadrian granting (or confirming) her friends’. The second dossier is less privileges accorded out of his filial piety well known. What survives are the (this time probably posthumous). incomplete texts of two documents on two (now quite different-looking) Nicholas Milner (ICS, London) fragments of a block that, although elucidated the text of a recently noted originally similarly proportioned to that of stele, currently in a private collection at the first dossier, suffered cutting down to Fethiye (ancient in Lycia). It make capitals for a Byzantine building. is a limestone slab bearing twenty-three As a result what survives are two slices lines of text in a single column and in a of the inscribed surface bearing a Greek script of early imperial date. This portion of c. 15 letters in length from text is incomplete, beginning and ending near the beginning of each line and one in mid sentence, and it is clear from

8 marks on the stone that it was originally appears the most plausible context for flanked to left and right by similar slabs, the stele. It would seem, then, most so that the original monument likely that the stele was erected at the comprised at least three slabs. The site of the disputed lands to record the contents would appear to be the verdict as a warning to future Rhodian proceedings of a legal case involving vendors and prospective Lycian buyers. the covert sale of lands to foreigners, even though, in some cases, dues are Benet Salway still being paid on them. The foreigners are at one point specifically referred to as Lycians, which seems odd given the current location of the stone. It is probable that the defendants were accused of selling as their own public lands that they possessed on the basis of inherited perpetual tenancies, perhaps even continuing to pay the rents in order to mask the fraud. Amongst the defendants is one Claudius Mnasagoras son of Antipater. As Dr Milner demonstrated with reference to the Lexicon of Greek Personal Names, the name Mnasagoras has a strongly Rhodian flavour, added to which a certain Tib. Cl. Antipater son of Mnasagoras is recorded as a priest of the imperial cult at Lindos on Rhodes in AD 97/98; he might plausibly be identified as the father of the defendant. This suggests that the legal case relates to Rhodes and, while the stele might be a pierre errante from across the water, it is most likely to have come from one of Rhodes’ onshore possessions (the peraia) and, most specifically, from one of those territories it retained after being stripped of the greater peraia by Rome. The remaining territories, known as the ‘incorporated peraia’ included the Loryma peninsula and Physcos (), the island of Megiste (Kastellorizon) near Antiphellos on the Lycian mainland, and Daedala (Belenpınar) in the Gulf of Makre (Fethiye Körfezi). This last, lying below Mount Daedalus (Kızılda), given its proximity to Fethiye and the fact that it had once been a border town between Lycia and but was, by the imperial period, surrounded by a Lycia whose border had moved westward to ,

9 SLAVE SALE CONTRACT FROM be thought of as ‘a little like a car log LONDON REVEALED book’ according to one of the Museum’s curators, Francis Grew; ‘if there was a On 21 March 2003 the Museum of sale, you could open it up and check London announced to the press that that whether the wax on the outside had it had put on public display for the first been tampered with.’ time a wax writing tablet dug up in 1996 during the Museum of London Archaeological Service’s excavations at 1 Poultry, London EC4, on the site occupied since 1998 by a new office block by James Stirling, Michael Wilford & Partners. The tablet, which is still undergoing conservation as part of the 1 Poultry Excavation Project funded by CAPIT (City Acre Property Investment Trust) and English Heritage, was recovered from water-logged debris deposits along the Walbrook stream at the eastern end of the site. It is made of silver fir and measures about 14 cm x 11 cm. Holes drilled through the bottom Enhanced photograph of the text © edge of the frame and grooves in the MoLAS 2003 top and bottom outer edges show that it was once part of a set of linked tablets, The Walbrook text is particularly exciting hinged together by loops of cord and for historians and legal scholars alike then closed up as a sealed unit. not only because it is the first such deed Although the original wax writing surface of sale recovered from Britain but also has long since decayed the scratches because it attests the purchase of a left by the scribe’s stylus on the wood slave by another slave. A girl named base below have now been deciphered Fortunata, of the Gallic tribe of the by Dr Roger S.O. Tomlin of Wolfson Diablintes (based around modern College, Oxford, who has dated the text Jublains, near Mayenne), is purchased to around AD 75-125. for 600 denarii by one Vegetus uicarius (slave of one who is also a slave) of This tablet (only the second such tablet Montanus, himself currently a seruus from London to be completely Augusti (slave of the emperor), though deciphered) preserves the first eleven he would appear to have been owned lines of the text of a contract for the sale previously by one Secundus or and purchase of a slave according to Iucundus. The opening paragraph of Roman law of a type known from other the text appears, according to Dr second-century examples recovered Tomlin’s drawing (see photograph) to from the silver mining district of read: Transylvania (FIRA III Nos 87-89). These documents comprised triptychs of Vegetus Montani imperatoris Aug. ser. tablets strung together and folded to Secun- (or Iucun-) protect the wax inside. A copy was diani uic. emit mancipioque accepit pu- fixed to the outside before they were ellam Fortunatam siue quo alio nomine bound with string and seals of wax with est natione Diablintem de Albiciano the impressions of the signet rings of X sescentis. seven witnesses. This document can

10 Although Vegetus is a slave, and so succeeded Colchester as the capital of could not technically own property fully the province. David Miles, Chief in his own name, the emit mancipioque Archaeologist at English Heritage, said accepit formula is identical to that found of the discovery’s significance: ‘The in the Transylvanian documents where Roman Empire was built on slavery and the purchasers are free individuals. The this amazing survival gives us a unique description of Vegetus’ master, insight into the intricate structure of Montanus, as imperatoris Aug(usti) London’s slave society and its links with ser(uus) Secundianus (or Iucundianus) the continent.’ On the historical context is paralleled by Phosphoro Ti(berii) of the document, Roger Tomlin is Claudì Caesaris Augustì seruo quoted as observing ‘To appreciate the Lepidiano in one of the Pompeian purchaser, we must remember how tablets of the Sulpicii, dated 13 June AD Britannia was governed. While the 51 (TPSulp. 69 = AE 1973, 157, lines 5- legate ran the army and civil 6), where the editor, Giuseppe administration, an independent Camodeca, interprets the adjectival procurator looked after imperial estates agnomen (Lepidianus) as referring to and the provincial finances. His office the identity of the owner before was staffed by imperial slaves and passed into the familia freedmen who handled large sums of Caesaris. In the case of the Montanus, money, in the process making fortunes then, his previous owner would have of their own. Vegetus, who was strictly been a certain Secundus (or Iucundus). speaking the property of one of these The second paragraph continues with slaves, made enough to buy his own the usual guarantees by the vendor of slave. She cost him 600 denarii, two the slave’s well-being and lack of years' salary for a Roman soldier.’ propensity to wander or run away, familiar from the Transylvanian tablets. The tablet will be on display in the The vendor further promises that, if entrance hall of the Museum of London anyone does establish a better title to (no entry fee) until 27 April 2003. The her, in whole or in part, he will reimburse excavations at the 1 Poultry site are the purchaser. described by Peter Rowsome, Heart of the City: Archaeology at 1 Poultry So the Walbrook text attests a complex (Museum of London, 2000). hierarchy of slave ownership that can be conceived as akin to a set of Russian Benet Salway matrioshka dolls; a girl from north- western Gaul was bought (possibly in London) from a certain Albicianus NEW PRESIDENT (whose single name suggests that he was not a Roman citizen) by Vegetus, At the Society’s Annual General Meeting slave to the imperial slave Montanus, in November, Professor Robert Parker both of whom are likely to have been (New College, Oxford) was elected serving on the imperial staff in the President of the Society. He will serve capital, a reasonably privileged position. until 2006. Other new members of the As the Museum’s press release steering committee are Jonathan Prag emphasises, Vegetus and Montanus are (Leicester) and Alison Cooley the first imperial slaves to be explicitly (Warwick). named in Britain and the discovery of the tablet in London provides further evidence that by this date, after the Boudiccan revolt, London had

11 A NEW UNORPHIC GOLD TABLET Pelinna finally confirmed the 'Orphic' character of these texts. A minority The last quarter or so of the twentieth insists that there is nothing Orphic in century was an exciting period for them and that they derive rather from anyone interested in the famous 'Bacchic mysteries' . What does the passports to the underworld inscribed new text contribute? A few letters in the on gold leaf and buried with the dead. second line cannot be confidently read, Extraordinary new specimens were but for the moment the text's answer published from Hipponium in S. Italy appears to be 'A plague on both your (1974) and from Pelinna in Thessaly houses'. There is nothing Orphic here, (1987), and the 90s brought a nor Bacchic either; instead it speaks of succession of lesser finds. Amid all the orgia of Demeter Chthonia and excitement, the fact that Apostolos apparently of 'Mountain Mother'. By the Arvanitopoulos had discovered such a second half of the third century B.C. (the gold leaf at Pherai in Thessaly in the provisional date for the tablet) the first decade of the century vanished possible routes to salvation had almost completely from collective apparently multiplied. . . memory. The chances of re-discovering a tiny object of this kind, excavated Robert Parker almost a hundred years ago and never published, scarcely seemed promising. But we owe it to the determination of THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL: Maria Stamatopoulou, who noted PEOPLE, GROUPS AND GREEK Arvanitopoulou's one brief reference to ECONOMIES the object, to have done just this; she has found the leaf in the storerooms of A conference in honour of J.K. the National Museum in Athens. She Davies; 5th July 2003; The Gallery, presented a brief account of the object Foresight Centre, 1 Brownlow Street, to the First Conference on Thessalian The University of Liverpool archaeology held in March of this year in the University of Thessaly, Volos, and Speakers: Robin Osborne; Nick Fisher; has kindly invited me to collaborate in Vincent Gabrielsen; Michele Faraguna; an eventual publication. Sally Humphreys; Dorothy Thompson.

Wonderful images generated from Further information is available from the Maria's photographs by 'Photoshop' conference organisers (Graham Oliver: have allowed much of the text to be [email protected]; Zosia Archibald: deciphered, tiny though the writing is [email protected]); by post from (the leaf is only 7 by .8 cm.). What we SACOS, 12 Abercromby Square, The have are two hexameters, written on University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 separate lines, each missing a foot at 3BX; or on the web at: the end; probably nothing is lost except http://www.liv.ac.uk/sacos/events/jkd/ the end of the two lines. It begins with a bold order to an unnamed addressee in the underworld 'Send me to the bands (thiasoi) of the initiates.' On what basis does the dead man or woman adopt such a tone? Connoisseurs of the gold leaves will know that opinion has divided of late into two camps. A majority of scholars take the view that the text from

12 WORDS ON THINGS aspects of the tablets’ content. There is also a ‘Help’ facility on navigation There will be a small conference to around and use of the site. The on-line celebrate Harold Mattingly’s 80th edition includes text, apparatus, birthday held at the Classics Faculty in translation, and images of the mostly Cambridge on October 3rd and 4th. ink-on-lime-wood tablets. While the Speakers: Polly Low, Graham Oliver, casual visitor is catered for by the Tracy Rihll, Andrew Meadows, Jonathan ‘highlights from the tablets’ feature, it is Williams, Christopher Howgego, Richard also intended as a serious research tool. Alston and Roger Tomlin. Anyone Accordingly, as well as a general interested in attending will be welcome, ‘Search’ facility, the tablets can be and should contact Robin Osborne viewed by tablet number, browsed ([email protected]). through, or the text searched. The authors of the site particularly welcome feedback from those using Vindolanda VINDOLANDA TABLETS ONLINE Tablets Online for teaching, research or just general interest. An online edition of the Vindolanda tablets was launched on March 20th URL: http://vindolanda.csad.ox.ac.uk/ 2003. The website includes texts, Further information: translations, notes and new high- [email protected] resolution ‘zoomable’ digital images of all the published tablets. A virtual exhibition also uses the texts and EPIGRAPHY OF THE GREEK archaeological evidence from THEATRE Vindolanda and other sites on Britain’s Oxford 14 & 15 July 2003 northern frontier to introduce the content and context of the tablets to a non- This colloquium (held under the specialist audience. Other resources auspices of the Centre for the Study of within the website include the scholarly Ancient Documents and the Faculty of introductions to the tablets, an account Classics, Oxford) will bring together of the creation of digital texts and leading experts from around the world images and a reference guide to who are working on the Greek theatre specialised aspects of Roman life from a primarily epigraphic perspective. encountered in the documents, such as It will provide an occasion for an currency and military terminology. exchange of news and ideas, with particular emphasis on new material, The website is a collaborative project neglected material and what light new between the Centre for the Study of methods and questions might throw on Ancient Documents (Faculty of Classics) the familiar. and the Academic Computing Development Team at Oxford Early booking is recommended as University, sponsored by the Andrew W. places may be limited. Similarly, limited Mellon foundation. full board accommodation (bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner) is available The site has three main elements: the at an advantageous rate in St. ‘Tablets’ link opens a searchable on-line Catherine’s College, and anyone edition of volumes I and II of the tablets; interested in booking this is advised to ‘Exhibition’ takes one to an introduction do so at once. to the tablets and their context; and ‘Reference’ opens up a guide to various

13 Further details (of the programme, and Sims-Williams. Anyone interested of how to book) can be obtained from should contact him at [email protected] Margaret Sasanow, Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents, 67 St. Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LU. Tel: 01865 288255. COMING SOON I … [email protected] Those interested the recently- discovered dedication to the Numina Augustorum and the god Mars Camulus RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP IN by a man describing himself as moritix LATIN EPIGRAPHY Londiniensium (featured in BES News no.8) should keep an eye on ZPE. Professor Patrick Sims-Williams Professor J.N. Adams (All Souls, (Professor of Celtic Studies, University Oxford) has written a short paper on the of Wales at Aberystwyth) is looking for a etymology and meaning of the obscure research assistant with expertise in term moritix that will appear in a Roman epigraphy. forthcoming issue.

He has been awarded a research grant by the British Academy for work on the COMING SOON II … incidence of Celtic compound personal names (the most recognisable type of Following a decision of the last Annual Celtic name) in the Latin inscriptions of General Meeting of the British the Roman Empire, and would like to Epigraphy Society and a generous offer find a Roman epigrapher who would be of support from the Society for the able to collaborate with him in compiling Promotion of Hellenic Studies, a bursary geographical and other data on the 700 competition was launched to help or so relevant inscriptions, working full graduate students with the costs of or part time for a few months from about attending the BES/LGPN conference on May onwards. ‘Old and New in Greek Onomastics’.

The pay is “not very generous” (£8 per The bursary committee is pleased to hour up to a total of £3,600), but there is report that it was able to make four money for travel costs and an allowance awards, enabling the following students of £50 per day for up to three weeks to attend the colloquium: Cristiana Doni working in libraries on the Continent. (Exeter University), Ina Hartman The work ought to lead promptly to a Doettinger (St. Hugh’s College, Oxford), joint publication in which the researcher Pasi Loman (Nottingham University), will get full credit. Professor Sims- and Olga Tribulato (Pembroke College, Williams’ part will be limited to Oxford). You will be able to read their identifying the relevant names in accounts of their experience of the Lorincz’s Onomasticon, the research conference in the Autumn issue of this assistant will look the inscriptions up in newsletter. the corpora and collect relevant data, and there is a budget for a cartographer to complete the task within the year.

The research assistant could be based anywhere convenient so long as he or she was in regular contact with Prof.

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